From Start-up to One of UKs Fastest Growing Companies
Our client, Stewart Golf has seen an incredible surge in recent years, with a 93% boost in total sales during 2020 alone. Helped by strong demand during the lockdowns, sales soared to £6.7 million in 2021. At the end of last year, the company has achieved ‘Sunday Times Fastest Growing Company 2022’ status recognising that the firm is one of the UK’s 100 fastest-growing businesses.
D2M’s partnership with Stewart Golf is a critical part of their success and has helped ensure that they remain the leader in innovation in the Golf sector.
The increasing demand for Stewart Golf’s products has enabled the company to roll out its product range across Europe, USA and Australia. The business now exports to over 25 countries. But this journey began over 10 years ago with a commitment to developing new products from scratch that had to be market-leading products in terms of both functionality and style.
Achieving this needed an expert product design partner with a talented and creative design team that was, crucially, also commercially astute. D2M and Stewart Golf collaborated closely on the R1 push trolley which was described as the best-looking golf trolley on the market by Golf Monthly magazine shortly after launch. But this was only the beginning.
Mark Stewart, the CEO and founder, shares his excitement about the growth of the business and this journey. “It’s been an incredible journey for the business so far,” said Mark. “Our focus on quality, innovation and customer service have all contributed to our growth.”
Recently, Stewart Golf once again called upon D2M for its product development needs. This time, their goal was to create a revolutionary new trolley known as the Q Follow. The Q Follow sought to revolutionise the golfing industry by taking pushing trolleys to the next level with an integrated motors and advanced “follow-me” technology. Utilising the expertise of D2M, who provided an end-to-end tailored product design service including concept development, design and creation, Stewart Golf was able to create an innovative trolley that has been described by its creators as “the most advanced golf trolley ever created”.
The Q Follow came about after Stewart Golf had already successfully released their R1 Push Trolley with the help of D2M. After seeing such success with that product, they wanted to continue pushing boundaries and create an even better trolley that could provide golfers with an ultimate experience on the course.
By working closely with D2M, Stewart Golf were able to come up with a concept for the Q Follow that would take golfing technology to another level entirely. The design team at D2M was able to bring this concept into reality, creating a modern and sophisticated piece of equipment.
“I have worked with Phil & D2M numerous times over the past 10 years or so on various projects and will continue to do so. Phil and his team have an excellent working knowledge of pretty much all manufacturing processes and have contacts with manufacturers globally to make things happen. D2M are also clear on project timelines and managing expectations which is key in product development.” – Mark Stewart
In addition, Stewart Golf worked closely with D2M throughout every step of production in order to ensure quality control standards were met throughout each stage of manufacture. This included rigorous testing of components such as motors and batteries, plus extensive stress testing both in laboratory conditions and out on various golf courses around the UK. All components are held up against strict criteria before being approved for use in customer products – thus guaranteeing performance levels remain consistently at a premium after repeated use over time.
The Q Follow stands out from other golf trolleys due to its unique features and functions. It enables golfers to adjust settings via their phone or tablet using Bluetooth connectivity, allowing them to customise their game in ways never seen before on a push trolley.
Some other features include an adaptable bag support system which allows players to adjust their bag height as they play; an anti-tip stabiliser wheel which prevents tipping when traversing slopes; a patented Quick Adjust system which allows users to easily adjust the trolley., the most compact follow trolley ever.
The Q Follow is also made up of lightweight materials such as aluminium and a pioneering microcellular composite chassis which make it more durable than ever before while also remaining light enough for comfortable lifting in and out of a vehicle.
Stewart Golf’s partnership with D2M has been incredibly advantageous in allowing them to achieve their desired outcomes and goals. Their specialist inhouse engineering team working hand in hand with the product designers at D2M to effectively marry styling and design for ergonomics with the technical engineering design for cost-effective manufacture. This collaboration has provided the perfect platform for Stewart Golf to deliver their innovative products, such as the Q Follow system. The D2M design team played a crucial role in making this product possible, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table as well as the additional resource necessary to get the product to market rapidly minimising the time to profitability for the new concept.
Dave Furnell, Director of Business Development at Stewart Golf added: “We have been fortunate to have a great team of engineers and software developers who have helped us create innovative new products. Along with our design partners, this has allowed us to stay ahead of the competition and also provide our loyal customers with some really exciting new technology.”
The Q Follow system is an example of what can be accomplished when two companies collaborate and draw on each other’s strengths and specialties. The combination of Stewart Golf’s understanding of the golf industry and their engineering expertise that comes from building the product in their own factory in the UK, along with D2M’s experience and creativity in industrial design have enabled an extraordinary and revolutionary product to go to market in under 18 months. Not only does the Q Follow system offer convenience, it also provides enhanced performance capabilities which are simply not achievable by manual control systems. This ease-of-use coupled with improved accuracy has allowed players to take their game to the next level without sacrificing quality or precision.
The importance of partnerships cannot be underestimated in today’s business world, particularly when it comes to possessing specialist skill sets like those offered by D2M. It is through the hard work and dedication shown from both entities that we are able to experience products like these; proving once again that together we can achieve anything!
“Extremely experienced design company who are able to provide the skills necessary for product design from Mood Board artistry through Mechanical Design and Tooling requirement and into production. Highly recommended!” David Funnell
If you’re looking for an experienced partner who can help you create a powerful product portfolio and make sure your business stands out from its competitors then please get in touch with us today. With our unique combination of expertise and creative flair, we are sure we can help take your business from strength-to-strength in no time!
One of the elements that sets us apart from other product development firms is our commitment to creating unique designs that capture the essence of your brand. We work closely with our clients throughout every step of the process, including ideation, concept creation, prototyping, testing and launch, so you can rest assured that your product will meet all quality standards while remaining true to your brand identity.
Our team of experts are experienced in developing creative and market-leading products and have years of experience in the field. Our commitment is to helping you achieve success by delivering high quality products that can be tailored specifically to your needs. We understand the importance of staying ahead of the competition, which is why we use our extensive research capabilities to ensure your product remains at the forefront of trends and technology.
Contact us today to find out how we can help you do more.
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